90. CONVOLVULACE^. [16. Cuscuta. 



15. ERYCIBE, Roxh. 



Climbing shrixbs with the innovations often ferruginous pubescent 

 Leaves entire coriaceous. Flowers small or ni.s. in axillary and 

 terminal cymose racemes or panicles. Sepals subequal, coriaceous. 

 Corolla white or yellowish with a shortly campanulate tube and 

 spreading limb with 5, 2-lobulate, indiiplicate lobes. Stamens inserted 

 low in the tube, sub-included, with short filaments and lanceolate 

 basifixed apiculate anthers. Ovary 1-celled, 4-ovuled. Style hardly 

 any, stigma large sub-globose 2-lobed (or sometimes o-lobed !) Fruit 

 baccate,"l -seeded. Albumen scanty, irregularly intruded between the 

 plicate fleshy cotyledons. 



1. E. paniculata, Roxh. Urumin, Hurmi, K. ; Kari, S.; Durkuli 

 Jorai-kuli, Or.; Chimina (Sambalpur). 



A large climbing shrub with conical protuberances on the trunk, 

 rusty -tomentose shoots, entire oblong, ell. -oblong, oblanceolate or 

 obovate, acuminate leaves about 5" by 1-5" and terminal rusty- 

 tomentose panicles of yellowish-white flowers -o" diam. with crisped 

 marginate petals. Berry black -6" with dark-purple flesh, seated on 

 the spreading calyx. 



Alonc^ rivers and streams. Champaraii ! Santal P. ! Gaya Ghats ! Througliout 

 Chota Nagpur, frequent ! Throu<iliout the Southern area ! Fl. May-June. 1 ruit 

 ripens the following- May. Everoreen. 



L. 3-6", tomentose when young-, shining and glabrous when old, sometimes 

 punctulate beneath, long- or shortly-acuminate, base usually narrowed into the 

 •4.--5" long- petiole, sec. n. 4-6 oblique, not prominent. Panicles narrow, 4-/ long-. 

 Sepals -1", oblong rounded or orbicular. Corolla-tube as long as calyx. Stigma 

 sessile sub-globose, sometimes 5-lobed. Seed elliptic "S". 



The fruit^is sweet and is eaten. The bark is given by the Santals m cholera. 



16. CUSCUTA, L. Dodder. 

 Leafless, yellow-green, reddish, or colourless, rootless parasites, with 

 twining uniformly slender often thread-like stems furnished with 

 haustoria. Flowers small, white or rose, in cymes or fascicles, usually 

 with small bracts. 5-merous or sometimes 4-merous in the same 

 species. Sepals subequal, free or shortly connate. Corolla ovoid or 

 campanulate, persistent, lobes small, imbricate in bud, tube naked or 

 with a ring of scales below the stamens. Stamens inserted below 

 or in the throat, often shortly exserted. Ovary 2-celled, sometimes 

 incompletely, styles 2 distinct or connate, stigmas round or acute. 

 Ovules 4. Fruit capsular, dry or fleshy, circumsciss or irregularly 

 breaking up. Seeds 1-4, smooth. Embryo peripheral, spiral or 

 annular^ in fleshy albumen, cotyledons or rudimentary. 

 Style connate below, 2-lobed above. On trees or .shrubs . . . I. reflexa. 

 Styles 2, stigmas capitate. On herbs 2. chinensi^. 



1. C. reflexa, Roxh. Jansing, K.; Alaj-jari, Khariv. ; Algusi, Beng. 



Stems rather stout for the genus, fleshy, usually yellowish-green 

 or yellow, often in dense masses with pendulous branches covering 

 small trees and shrubs. Flowers white or pinkish, sweet-smelling of 

 an evening, •25--3" long, tubular-campanulate with short refiexed 

 lobes, solitary and in few-many fid. racemiform cymes with bracteate 

 pedicels or sometimes fls. sessile. Scales at base of corolla emarginate 



605 



